


Potato Guns and Physics Defiance

by ThatOneNerdGirl



Series: Mutli-Ship Marvel Drabbles [3]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: BAMF Harley Keener, Harley Keener's Potato Gun, M/M, Protective Harley, Vaguely Threatening Harley Keener
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 14:08:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15269124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOneNerdGirl/pseuds/ThatOneNerdGirl
Summary: Harley Keener is only vaguely threatening, and won't ever admit to doing something.Stephen has had everybody else buzzing about him over his and Tony's relationship...All except Tony's 'adopted son,' Keener.





	Potato Guns and Physics Defiance

**Author's Note:**

> So, here's some protective Harley fluff(?). I really enjoy the idea that Harley is known and a little bit feared around the Compound because of all the shit he pulls. 
> 
> Also, I don't know why I love writing family-themed IronStrange fics, but I really do like to write them. 
> 
> This is the longest fic I've written in a long time, and I'm a little proud of that. 
> 
> Unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine, let me know of any glaring ones please!  
> Enjoy!

There's a potato gun on the counter when he comes home, a pair of red Converse propped up on the counter next to it. Harley's taking apart the small machine in his hand, not even sparing a glance in the sorcerer's direction. It all reminds him of his high school prom date.

Stephen debates calling out for Tony, debates turning and walking right back out the door. He's gotten talks, encouraging ones from Peter and Friday, and only vaguely threatening ones from Pepper and Rhodey.

But he'd been warned about the Keener kid.

Tony took it upon himself, one night, to explain how his 'adopted son' was always a bit of a wild card. How he'd seen Tony at one of his lowest points, shaking through a panic attack in the snow, and had only wanted to help and protect. It was sweet, hearing Tony talk about him, how his eyes lit up and how he can't wait until the next school holiday is.

There were also horror stories. Those had come from Peter and Rhodey, about just how fierce a protector Harley was. Stephen wanted to laugh, but also cringed at his own fate.

Apparently, Harley hadn't taken too kindly to the Rogue's pardons. The first time he saw Captain America, the man's own shield was sent flying toward him. Harley just walked away, eyes trained on the game system in his hand, as Steve stared at the teen in pure bewilderment.

"It slipped out of my hand," Stephen had heard him explain to Tony, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, Peter cracking up in the background.

The time where Clint had opened his mouth, and was promptly pelted with a series of five potatoes.

"The trigger sticks, I'm working on it."

Had 'accidentally' reversed a charge in one of Natasha's famous Widow Bites. Literally stole Redwing from Wilson to use as his own personal floating drink tray? The list goes on.

Stephen had to admire it, Harley's persistence with his pranks, the courage he had. Really, it would be admirable, if it weren't pointed directly at him now.

"He likes space," Harley says suddenly, still not looking up at the sorcerer, "But he doesn't like to talk about his time in the wormhole."

Stephen nodded, watching a complex wave of emotion cross the kid's face. "He gets nightmares, bad ones. He immediately wants to check on the people they are about, that's why he walks the Compound at three in the morning."

He'd known that too. Stephen had woken up one morning, to find Tony shuffling through the Compound, stopping at Vision's door. Tony had just stared, through the open crack in the door, before shuffling on to the next room, repeating his routine for each of the rooms in the hallway.

"He doesn't like to talk about his early days," Harley continued, this time setting the machine down, "Unless he's done something that he feels he needs to fix." Blue eyes pinned him in the entryway, blinking once before climbing off of the stool. Stephen stiffened as the brunet reached for the launcher, but relaxed when he instead pulled his phone from behind it.

"Don't mention New York. Ever. He has a thing about his neck, and his-"

"Chest," Stephen finished, nodding as he said it. He'd known this, he'd lived with the genius for nearly four months now. Harley however, was not amused, cocking one eyebrow before glancing between the launcher and Stephen. Message received, loud and clear.

If anyone asked him, he would obviously later deny it, that he was _not_  intimidated by a teenager. It was not his fault that Harley had a vaguely threatening air about him, and he'd fell right into the kid's trap, it really wasn't.

"Look," Stephen snapped his attention to the teen, "You just need to understand two things. One, is that he's not as put together as he seems," Harley exhaled, looking Strange in the eye as he continued, "And two, is that he's the only father-figure I have ever come close to having."

Stephen nodded, not daring to break the eye contact. Tony had told him, before this all began, about his bond with both Peter and Harley, trying to play it off as a casual relationship. It was in his eyes, whenever he got a call from Peter, or he facetimed with Harley, how close they all actually were. They were a family, whether phrased that way or not.

"I don't plan on leaving. I've seen the attacks, and the nightmares. I understand his aversion to being handed things, and I know he hates wearing ties."

Here he was, defending his relationship to this kid. Ask him five years ago if he'd even thought about settling down and he would've laughed in your face, but now. He smiled a bit, the absurdity of it all, and the humor hidden buried below.

Harley nodded, grabbing his launcher and walking toward the lab, pausing in the hallway.

"Hurt him, and you'll be in the same boat as Rogers."

Stephen actually smiled at that. 

* * *

"So, heard my kid gave you the first degree," Tony said that night, coming in from an SI meeting and plopping himself right in his boyfriend's lap, "Big, scary Harley."

Stephen snickered, leaning down and pecking a kiss on Tony's lips. Tony squirmed against the book currently wedged in his back, muttering about comfort and digitizing, as he removed the red tie from around his neck.

"It was fine," Stephen nodded, moving the book to the end table beside the sofa. Once the man had stopped squirming, he could see the hesitation and concern in his eyes, thinly veiled by humor, "It didn't even come close to the discussion Pepper and I had."

Tony laughed at that, giggles bursting from his lips at the thought of traumatized Post-Pepper Stephen.

Stephen just smiled, lacing their fingers together when Tony's hand found his. It all seemed worth it, really, sitting on the couch while Tony replayed the details of his meeting, going over details about SI's new direction into fully integrated prosthetics, and how Barnes himself was a nice starting point for that.

Peter stumbled in about an hour later, dropping his school bag as he stumbled over to the sofa. Tony asked about school, only recieving a mumbled affirmative in response. It was a long weekend, so the spider would be staying with them for a few days.

Harley walked in minutes after, not looking up from his phone as he sat in the other side of Stephen. Tony peered up at his from his position in his lap, raising a questioning eyebrow.

They both froze when the brunet leant against his shoulder, his back pressing against Stephen's side. After a moment of hesitation, Stephen smirked, relaxing into the sofa once more.

Maybe he could be a part of this little family. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed Harley and Stephen, I really enjoyed writing this. 
> 
> Let me know what you guys think, leave comments and kudos!!! 
> 
> Come yell at me on tumblr [@nerdowritesthings!](nerdowritesthings.tumblr.com)


End file.
